1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to an electrosurgical electrode and, more particularly, to an electrosurgical electrode including an insulative coating configured to provide a path for electrosurgical energy from the electrosurgical electrode to tissue during an electrosurgical procedure.
2. Background of Related Art
Electrosurgical instruments have become widely used by surgeons in recent years. By and large, most electrosurgical instruments are hand-held instruments, e.g., an electrosurgical pencil, which transfer radio-frequency (RF) electrical or electrosurgical energy to a tissue site via an electrosurgical electrode. Typically, the electrosurgical energy is returned to the electrosurgical source via a return electrode pad positioned under a patient (i.e., a monopolar system configuration) or a smaller return electrode positionable in bodily contact with or immediately adjacent to the surgical site (i.e., a bipolar system configuration). The waveforms produced by the RF source yield a predetermined electrosurgical effect known generally as electrosurgical cutting and fulguration.
Typically, electrosurgical electrodes configured for electrosurgical use are subject to high temperatures at least where an electrosurgical arc emanates during the electrosurgical procedure, e.g., fulguration or coagulation. In some instances, the heat generated by the electrosurgical electrode during an electrosurgical procedure may cause proteins in bodily fluids and/or tissue to coagulate and adhere to the electrodes. To combat this adhering of bodily fluids and/or tissue to the electrosurgical electrodes, an insulative coating, e.g., a Teflon polymer, may be applied to the electrosurgical electrode.
However, as can be appreciated by one skilled in the art, areas of the electrosurgical electrode covered with an insulative coating cannot transmit RF electrical or electrosurgical energy to a tissue site.